U.S. patent number 7,641,002 [Application Number 12/057,597] was granted by the patent office on 2010-01-05 for drill bit.
Invention is credited to John Bailey, David R. Hall, Casey Webb.
United States Patent |
7,641,002 |
Hall , et al. |
January 5, 2010 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Drill bit
Abstract
In one aspect of the present invention, a rotary drag drill bit
has a body intermediate a shank and a working face. The working
face has a plurality of blades converging towards a center of the
working face and diverging towards a gauge of the working face. A
carbide section is fixed to the working face and positioned within
a pocket disposed within an inverted cone of the working face. The
carbide section has a distal end exposed within the working
face.
Inventors: |
Hall; David R. (Provo, UT),
Bailey; John (Provo, UT), Webb; Casey (Provo, UT) |
Family
ID: |
39640163 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/057,597 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2008 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20080173482 A1 |
Jul 24, 2008 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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12039608 |
Feb 28, 2008 |
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12037682 |
Feb 26, 2008 |
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12019782 |
Jan 25, 2008 |
7617886 |
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11837321 |
Aug 10, 2007 |
7559379 |
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11750700 |
May 18, 2007 |
7549489 |
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11737034 |
Apr 18, 2007 |
7503405 |
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11686638 |
Mar 15, 2007 |
7424922 |
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11680997 |
Mar 1, 2007 |
7419016 |
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11673872 |
Feb 12, 2007 |
7484576 |
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11611310 |
Dec 15, 2006 |
7600586 |
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12057597 |
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11555334 |
Nov 1, 2006 |
7419018 |
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11278935 |
Apr 6, 2006 |
7426968 |
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11277394 |
Mar 24, 2006 |
7398837 |
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11277380 |
Mar 24, 2006 |
7337858 |
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11306976 |
Jan 18, 2006 |
7360610 |
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11306307 |
Dec 22, 2005 |
7225886 |
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11306022 |
Dec 14, 2005 |
7198119 |
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11164391 |
Nov 21, 2005 |
7270196 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
175/385;
175/426 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
4/14 (20130101); E21B 21/10 (20130101); E21B
10/38 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21B
10/26 (20060101); E21B 10/54 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;175/385,426 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dang; Hoang
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wilde; Tyson J.
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This Patent Application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/039,608 filed Feb. 28, 2008 which is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/037,682
filed Feb. 26, 2008 which a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/019,782 filed Jan. 25, 2008 now U.S. Pat.
No. 7,617,886 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/837,321 filed Aug. 10, 2007 now U.S. Pat.
No. 7,559,379 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/750,700filed May 18, 2007 now U.S. Pat. No.
7,559,489. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/750,700 is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/737,034
filed Apr. 18, 2007 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,405 U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/737,034 is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/686,638 filed Mar. 15, 2007 now U.S.
Pat. No. 7,503,405. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/686,638 is
a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/680,997 filed Mar. 1, 2007 now U.S Pat. No. 7,419,016. U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/680,997 is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/673,872 filed Feb. 12, 2007 now
U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,576. U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/673,872 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 11/611,310 filed Dec. 15, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No.
7,600,586. This Patent Application is also a continuation-in-part
of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/278,935 filed Apr. 6, 2006
now U.S. Pat. No. 7,426,968. U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/278,935 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 11/277,394 filed Mar. 24, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No.
7,398,837. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/277,394 is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/277,380. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/277,380 filed Mar.
24, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,858 is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/306,976 filed Jan. 18, 2006 now
U.S. Pat. No. 7,360,610. U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/306,976 is a continuation-in-part of 11/306,307 filed Dec. 22,
2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,886. U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/306,307 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 11/306,022 filed Dec. 14, 2005 now U.S Pat. No. 7,270,196.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/306,022 is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/164,391
filed Nov. 21, 2005. This application is also a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/555,334
which was filed on Nov. 1, 2006. All of these applications are
herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A rotary drag drill bit, comprising: a body intermediate a shank
and a working face; the working face comprising a plurality of
blades converging toward a center of the working face and diverging
toward a gauge of the working face; a carbide section fixed to the
working face and positioned within a pocket disposed within an
inverted cone of the working face; and the carbide section
comprising a distal end exposed within the working face; wherein
the carbide section is disposed about a jack element coaxial with
an axis of rotation of the drill bit, the jack element extending
out of an opening formed in the working face.
2. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein at least one cutting element
is brazed to a distal portion of the carbide section.
3. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein the carbide section is brazed
or shrink-fit within the pocket formed in the working face.
4. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein the drill bit body is made of
steel.
5. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein the drill bit body is made of
matrix.
6. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein a steel sleeve is intermediate
the carbide section and a wall of the pocket.
7. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein the carbide section forms a
portion of a cone section of at least one blade of the plurality of
blades.
8. The drill bit of claim 7, the at least one blade comprises a
slope transition formed by the cone section of the blade and the
carbide section.
9. The drill bit of claim 8, wherein the carbide section comprises
a larger cone angle than the cone section of the blade.
10. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein a portion of the carbide
section protrudes from the working face.
11. The drill bit of claim 10, wherein the protruding portion of
the carbide section comprises a length of 0.25 to 2 inches.
12. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein a portion of the carbide
section is set back into the working face.
13. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein at least one nozzle is
disposed within a portion of the carbide section.
14. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein carbide section tapers to a
point.
15. The drill bit of claim 1, wherein the inverted cone is formed
by the plurality of blades and comprises a slope transition formed
by at least two contiguous substantially flat sections with
different cone angles; and a radially proximal flat section
comprising a larger cone angle than a radially distal flat
section.
16. The drill bit of claim 15, wherein a plurality of cutting
elements is arrayed along any portion of the at least one blade
including the cone portion, nose portion, flank portion, gauge
portion, or combinations thereof.
17. The drill bit of claim 15, wherein the radially proximal cone
angle comprises an angle between 30 and 60 degrees with respect to
a horizontal plane of the working face.
18. The drill bit of claim 15, wherein the radially distal cone
angle comprises an angle between 5 and 25 degrees with respect to a
horizontal plane of the working face.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to drill bits, specifically drill bit
assemblies for use in oil, gas, geothermal, and horizontal
drilling. More specifically, the invention relates to the shear
bits having a high drilling efficiency while providing bit
stability downhole during a drilling operation. The invention also
relates to drill bits having elements that help to reduce wear
while drilling, thereby extending the life of the bit.
U.S. Patent Publication US20030213621 to Britten et al. which is
herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains,
discloses a guide assembly for a core drill bit, which is at least
partially guided at an inner wall of the core drill bit and
projects radially with projections between the plurality of cutting
inserts arranged on a frontal surface of the drill tube of the core
drill bit, wherein a centering means projects at least axially, in
part, beyond the cutting inserts, whereby the centering means is
shorter than the axial length of the drill tube, and is axially
spring-biased inside the guide assembly and has limited axial
displacement.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,069 to Lamine et al., which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a
drill bit as used in particular in the oil well drilling field
comprising a central body, cutting blades protruding with respect
to the body, both at the front of this body according to a drill
direction and at the sides of this same body, and cutting elements
divided over an outer front surface and over an outer lateral well
sizing surface comprised by each blade, wherein there are provided
as cutting elements: in a central area of the front surface, on at
least one blade: at least one synthetic polycrystalline diamond
compact cutting disc, and in a remaining area of the front surface
of this blade, situated beyond said central area with respect to
the rotation axis, and on the other blades: thermally stable
synthetic diamonds and/or impregnated diamond particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,039 to Newton, Jr. et al., which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a
rotary drill bit for drilling holes in subsurface formations
comprising a bit body having a shank for connection to a drill
string, a plurality of perform primary cutting elements mounted on
the bit body and defining a primary cutting profile having a
downwardly convex nose portion. There are associated with at least
certain of the primary cutting elements respective secondary
elements which are spaced inwardly of the primary profile. The
distance of the secondary elements from the primary profile, when
measured in direction perpendicular to said profile, is generally
greater for secondary elements nearer the nose portion than it is
for secondary elements further away from the nose portion, and is
preferably such that the vertical distance of the secondary
elements from the profile is substantially constant.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a rotary drag drill bit has
a body intermediate a shank and a working face. The working face
has a plurality of blades converging towards a center of the
working face and diverging towards a gauge of the working face. A
carbide section is fixed to the working face and positioned within
a pocket disposed within an inverted cone of the working face. The
carbide section has a distal end exposed within the working
face.
At least one cutting element may be brazed to a distal portion of
the carbide section. The carbide section may be brazed or shrink
fit within the pocket formed in the working face. In some
embodiments, the drill bit body may be made of steel. In other
embodiments, the bit body may be made of matrix. A steel sleeve may
be intermediate the carbide section and a wall of the pocket. The
carbide section may also form a portion of a cone section of at
least one blade of the plurality of blades, the at least one blade
having a slope transition formed by the cone section of the blade
and the carbide section. The carbide section of the blade may have
a larger cone angle than the cone section of the blade. A portion
of the carbide section may protrude from the working face. The
protruding portion of the carbide section may comprise a length of
0.25 to 2 inches. In other embodiments, the carbide section may be
disposed about a jack element coaxial with an axis of rotation of
the drill bit, the jack element extending out of an opening formed
in the working face. A nozzle may be disposed within a portion of
the carbide section. In some embodiments, the carbide section may
taper to a point.
In another aspect of the present invention, a rotary drag drill bit
has a body intermediate a shank and a working face. The working
face has a plurality of blades converging towards a center of the
working face and diverging towards a gauge of the working face. A
cone portion of at least one blade of the plurality of blades has a
slope transition formed by at least two contiguous substantially
flat sections with different cone angles. A radially proximal flat
section has a smaller cone angle than a radially distal flat
section.
A plurality of cutting elements may be arrayed along any portion of
the at least one blade including the cone portion, nose portion,
flank portion, gauge portion, or combinations thereof. The radially
proximal cone angle may comprise an angle between 30 and 60 degrees
with respect to a horizontal plane of the working face. The
radially distal cone angle may comprise an angle between 5 and 25
degrees with respect to a horizontal plane of the working face. It
is believed that shallow cone angles allow for quicker drilling
while sharper cone angles stabilize the drill bit during a drilling
operation.
A jack element may protrude beyond the nose portion of the at least
one blade. A bushing may be disposed about the jack element, the
bushing being adapted to support the jack element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of a tool string
suspended in a borehole.
FIG. 2 is a cross-section diagram of an embodiment of a bottom-hole
assembly.
FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of a rotary drag
drill bit.
FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of a rotary
drag drill bit.
FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of a rotary
drag drill bit.
FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of a rotary
drag drill bit.
FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of a rotary
drag drill bit.
FIG. 8 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of a rotary
drag drill bit.
FIG. 9 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a rotary
drag drill bit.
FIG. 10 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a
rotary drag drill bit.
FIG. 11 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a
rotary drag drill bit.
FIG. 12 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a
rotary drag drill bit.
FIG. 13 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a
rotary drag drill bit.
FIG. 14 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a
rotary drag drill bit.
FIG. 15 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a
rotary drag drill bit.
FIG. 16 is a cross-section diagram of another embodiment of a
rotary drag drill bit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of a tool string
100 suspended by a derrick 101 in a borehole 102. A bottom-hole
assembly 103 is located at the bottom of the borehole 102 and
comprises a drill bit 104. As the drill bit 104 rotates downhole
the tool string 100 advances farther into the earth. The tool
string 100 may penetrate soft or hard subterranean formations 105.
The bottom-hole assembly 103 and/or downhole components may
comprise data acquisition devices which may gather data. The data
may be sent to the surface via a transmission system to a data
swivel 106. The data swivel 106 may sent the data to the surface
equipment. Further, the surface equipment may send data and/or
power to downhole tools and/or the bottom hole assembly 103. U.S.
Pat. No. 6,670,880 which is herein incorporated by reference for
all that it contains, discloses a telemetry system that may be
compatible with the present invention; however, other forms of
telemetry system that may be compatible with the present invention;
however, other forms of telemetry may also be compatible such as
systems that include mud pulse systems, electromagnetic waves,
radio waves, wire pipe, and/or short hop. In some embodiments, no
telemetry system is incorporated into the tool string.
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of a
bottom-hole assembly 103. The drilling assembly comprises a rotary
drag drill bit 104; the drill bit having a body 200 intermediate a
shank 201 and a working face 202. The working face 202 has a
plurality of blades 203 converging toward a center 204 of the
working face and diverging toward a gauge 205 of the working face.
A carbide section 206 is fixed to the working face 202 and
positioned within a pocket 207 within an inverted cone 208 of the
working face. The carbide section 206 has a distal end 209 exposed
within the working face 202. At least one cutting element 210 may
be brazed to the distal end 209 of the carbide section 206. It is
believed that the at least on cutting element 210 brazed to the
carbide section 206 may help to break up the formation 105 being
drilled nearest the center of the working face 202. The carbide
section 206 may be brazed within the pocket 207 or may be
shrink-fit within the pocket. In some embodiments, the drill bit
body 200 may be made of steel, whereas in other embodiments, the
drill bit body may be made of matrix. In the preferred embodiment,
the carbide section 206 may be disposed about a jack element 211
coaxial with an axis of rotation 212 of the drill bit 104, the jack
element 211 extending out of an opening 213 formed in the working
face 202.
Now referring to FIG. 3, the drill bit 104 may have a carbide
section 206, the carbide section having at least one cutting
element 210 brazed to the distal end 209 of the carbide section. It
is believed that having a carbide section will help to reduce wear
on the bit face and other surrounding elements of the bit. The
carbide section 206 may comprise a substantially cylindrical
geometry. In this embodiment, a plurality of cutting elements 210
may be brazed to the carbide section 206, the cutting elements
comprising a pointed geometry 300. The cutting elements disposed on
the carbide section may help to break up the formation being
drilled proximal the center of the working face, and thereby
increase the efficiency of the drilling operation. A portion 301 of
the carbide section 206 may protrude from the working face 202. In
this embodiment, the protruding portion 301 may comprise a length
302 of 0.25 to 2 inches. Also in this embodiment, a jack element
211 may extend from the center of the carbide section 206. A
plurality of cutting elements may also be disposed on the plurality
of blades 203 of the drill bit 104. Some blades may comprise
pointed cutting elements 303 while others comprise shear cutting
elements 304. The carbide section 206 may be disposed about a jack
element 211 extending from the working face 202. The carbide
section 206 may be a bushing adapted to support the jack element
211.
In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the plurality of cutting elements 210
disposed on the carbide section 206 may be shear cutting elements.
In this embodiment, the carbide section 206 may comprise a
substantially cylindrical geometry. The distal end 209 of the
carbide section 206 may comprise a substantially flat geometry
having at least one shear cutting element disposed thereon. The
carbide substrate 206 may also have an inner row of cutting
elements 400 disposed near the center of the distal end 209 of the
carbide section.
FIGS. 5 and 6 disclose two embodiments of a drill bit 104 having at
least one cutting element; the cutting element being a degradation
assembly 500. FIG. 5 discloses a rotary drag bit 104 having 10
blades 203 formed in the working face 202 of the drill bit 104. The
carbide section 206 may extend from the working face 202. The at
least one degradation assembly 500 may be disposed within a carbide
extension 501; the carbide extension extending from the working
face 202 and forming a portion of the plurality of blades 206.
Referring now to FIG. 6, the plurality of blades may be formed by
the degradation assemblies 500 in the working face 202 of the drill
bit 104. The drill bit 104 may also comprise degradation assemblies
500 of varying sizes. The degradation assembly 500 comprises a
working portion 600 and a shank assembly 601. The working portion
600 may comprise an impact tip 604 that is brazed to the cemented
metal carbide extension 501. The carbide extension 501 may be
adapted to interlock with the shank assembly 601. The shank
assembly 601 may be adapted to fit into a cavity 605 formed in a
base end 606 of the carbide extension 501. In this embodiment, at
least one cutting element may also be disposed on the carbide
section 206.
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a drill bit 104 having a carbide
section 206 set back into the working face 202. A plurality of
cutting elements 210 may be disposed on the carbide section 206;
the cutting elements 210 being adapted to break up the formation
being drilled nearest the carbide section 206.
FIG. 8 illustrates a portion of the carbide section 206 protruding
from the working face 202. At least one nozzle 800 may be disposed
within a portion of the carbide section 206. The carbide section
206 may taper to a point. A steel sleeve 801 may be disposed
intermediate the carbide section and a wall of the pocket 207 of
the drill bit 104. This may be beneficial in a matrix bit such that
the steel prevents wear on the matrix bit from the carbide
center.
FIGS. 9 through 16 illustrate embodiments of various drill bits
104. FIG. 9 shows a carbide insert 206 having a pointed distal end
209 protruding from the working face 202 of the drill bit 104; a
cutting element 210 may be bonded to a portion of the distal end
209. FIG. 10 shows a carbide insert having a generally rectangular
geometry. A nozzle 800 may be disposed within a portion of the
carbide section 206. FIG. 11 illustrates a carbide insert 206
having a central portion 1200 set back into the working face 202.
FIG. 11 also shows that central portion inserted from the bore of
the drill bit. FIG. 12 illustrates the carbide section 206 having a
concave portion 1300 and a convex portion 1301 proximal the distal
end 209, the convex portion 1301 protruding from the working 202
face and the concave portion 1300 recessing in the working face
202. FIG. 13 illustrates the carbide section 206 being disposed
about a jack element 211. The carbide section 206 may be a bushing
adapted to support the jack element 211.
Referring now to FIG. 14, the carbide section 206 may form a
portion of a cone section 1500 of at least one blade 203 of the
plurality of blades. The at least one blade 203 may comprise a
slope transition 1501 formed by the cone section 1500 of the blade
and the carbide section 206. The carbide section 206 may comprise a
larger cone angle than the cone section of the blade 203.
Referring now to FIG. 15, a cone portion 1500 of at least one blade
of the plurality of blades 203 has a slope transition 1501 formed
by at least two contiguous substantially flat sections with
different cone angles. A radially proximal flat section 1600 has a
larger cone angle 1601 than a cone angle 1602 of a radially distal
flat section 1603. In this embodiment, a plurality of cutting
elements 210 may be arrayed along any portion of the at least one
blade 203 including the cone portion 1500, nose portion 1700, flank
portion 1701, gauge portion 1702, or combinations thereof. The
radially proximal cone angle 1601 may comprise an angle between 30
and 60 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane 1604 of the
working face 202 while the radially distal cone angle 1602 may
comprise an angle between 5 and 25 degrees with respect to the
horizontal plane 1604 of the working face 202. Referring now to
FIG. 16, a jack element 211 coaxial with an axis of rotation 212 of
the drill bit 104 may extend from an opening formed within the
working face 202. The jack element 211 may protrude beyond the nose
portion 1700 of the at least one blade 203. In this embodiment, a
carbide bushing 1750 may be disposed about the jack element 211
within the working face 202.
Whereas the present invention has been described in particular
relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood
that other and further modifications apart from those shown or
suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit of the
present invention.
* * * * *